CHAPTER XLVIII.
THE SOFTNESS OF SIR RAFFLE BUFFLE.
We have seen that John Eames was prepared to start on his journey insearch of the Arabins, and have seen him after he had taken farewellof his office and of his master there, previous to his departure; butthat matter of his departure had not been arranged altogether withcomfort as far as his official interests were concerned. He had beenperhaps a little abrupt in his mode of informing Sir Raffle Bufflethat there was a pressing cause for his official absence, and SirRaffle had replied to him that no private pressure could be allowedto interfere with his public duties. "I must go, Sir Raffle, at anyrate," Johnny had said; "it is a matter affecting my family, and mustnot be neglected." "If you intend to go without leave," said SirRaffle, "I presume you will first put your resignation into the handsof Mr. Kissing." Now, Mr. Kissing was the secretary to the Board.This had been serious undoubtedly. John Eames was not speciallyanxious to keep his present position as private secretary to SirRaffle, but he certainly had no desire to give up his professionaltogether. He said nothing more to the great man on that occasion,but before he left the office he wrote a private note to the chairmanexpressing the extreme importance of his business, and begging thathe might have leave of absence. On the next morning he received itback with a very few words written across it. "It can't be done,"were the very few words which Sir Raffle Buffle had written acrossthe note from his private secretary. Here was a difficulty whichJohnny had not anticipated, and which seemed to be insuperable. SirRaffle would not have answered him in that strain if he had not beenvery much in earnest.
"I should send him a medical certificate," said Cradell, his friendof old.
"Nonsense," said Eames.
"I don't see that it's nonsense at all. They can't get over a medicalcertificate from a respectable man; and everybody has got somethingthe matter with him of some kind."
"I should go and let him do his worst," said Fisher, who was anotherclerk. "It wouldn't be more than putting you down a place or two.As to losing your present berth you don't mind that, and they wouldnever think of dismissing you."
"But I do mind being put down a place or two," said Johnny, who couldnot forget that were he so put down his friend Fisher would gain thestep which he would lose.
"I should give him a barrel of oysters, and talk to him about theChancellor of the Exchequer," said FitzHoward, who had been privatesecretary to Sir Raffle before Eames, and might therefore be supposedto know the man.
"That might have done very well if I had not asked him and beenrefused first," said John Eames. "I'll tell you what I'll do, I'llwrite a long letter on a sheet of foolscap paper, with a regularmargin, so that it must come before the Board, and perhaps that willfrighten him."
When he mentioned his difficulty on that evening to Mr. Toogood, thelawyer begged him to give up the journey. "It will only be sending aclerk, and it won't cost so very much after all," said Toogood. ButJohnny's pride could not allow him to give way. "I'm not going to bedone about it," said he. "I'm not going to resign, but I will go eventhough they may dismiss me. I don't think it will come to that, butif it does it must." His uncle begged of him not to think of suchan alternative; but this discussion took place after dinner, andaway from the office, and Eames would not submit to bow his neck toauthority. "If it comes to that," said he, "a fellow might as wellbe a slave at once. And what is the use of a fellow having a littlemoney if it does not make him independent? You may be sure of onething, I shall go; and that on the day fixed."
On the next morning John Eames was very silent when he went into SirRaffle's room at the office. There was now only this day and anotherbefore that fixed for his departure, and it was of course verynecessary that matters should be arranged. But he said nothing to SirRaffle during the morning. The great man himself was condescendingand endeavoured to be kind. He knew that his stern refusal hadgreatly irritated his private secretary, and was anxious to showthat, though in the cause of public duty he was obliged to be stern,he was quite willing to forget his sternness when the necessity forit had passed away. On this morning, therefore, he was very cheery.But to all his cheery good-humour John Eames would make no response.Late in the afternoon, when most of the men had left the office,Johnny appeared before the chairman for the last time that day with avery long face. He was dressed in black, and had changed his ordinarymorning coat for a frock, which gave him an appearance altogetherunlike that which was customary to him. And he spoke almost in awhisper, very slowly; and when Sir Raffle joked,--and Sir Raffleoften would joke,--he not only did not laugh, but he absolutelysighed. "Is there anything the matter with you, Eames?" asked SirRaffle.
"I am in great trouble," said John Eames.
"And what is your trouble?"
"It is essential for the honour of one of my family that I should beat Florence by this day week. I cannot make up my mind what I oughtto do. I do not wish to lose my position in the public service, towhich, as you know, I am warmly attached; but I cannot submit to seethe honour of my family sacrificed!"
"Eames," said Sir Raffle, "that must be nonsense;--that must benonsense. There can be no reason why you should always expect to haveyour own way in everything."
"Of course if I go without leave I shall be dismissed."
"Of course you will. It is out of the question that a young manshould take the bit between his teeth in that way."
"As for taking the bit between his teeth, Sir Raffle, I do notthink that any man was ever more obedient, perhaps I should saymore submissive, than I have been. But there must be a limit toeverything."
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Eames?" said Sir Raffle, turning inanger upon his private secretary. But Johnny disregarded his anger.Johnny, indeed, had made up his mind that Sir Raffle should be veryangry. "What do you mean, Mr. Eames, by saying that there must bea limit? I know nothing about limits. One would suppose that youintended to make an accusation against me."
"So I do. I think, Sir Raffle, that you are treating me with greatcruelty. I have explained to you that family circumstances--"
"You have explained nothing, Mr. Eames."
"Yes, I have, Sir Raffle. I have explained to you that mattersrelating to my family, which materially affect the honour of acertain one of its members, demand that I should go at once toFlorence. You tell me that if I go I shall be dismissed."
"Of course you must not go without leave. I never heard of such athing in all my life." And Sir Raffle lifted up his hands towardsheaven, almost in dismay.
"So I have drawn up a short statement of the circumstances, which Ihope may be read at the Board when the question of my dismissal comesbefore it."
"You mean to go, then?"
"Yes, Sir Raffle; I must go. The honour of a certain branch of myfamily demands that I should do so. As I have for some time been soespecially under you, I thought it would be proper to show you whatI have said before I send my letter in, and therefore I have broughtit with me. Here it is." And Johnny handed to Sir Raffle an officialdocument of large dimensions.
Sir Raffle began to be uncomfortable. He had acquired a characterfor tyranny in the public service of which he was aware, thoughhe thought that he knew well that he had never deserved it. Someofficial big-wig,--perhaps that Chancellor of the Exchequer of whomhe was so fond,--had on one occasion hinted to him that a littlesoftness of usage would be compatible with the prejudices of theage. Softness was impossible to Sir Raffle; but his temper wassufficiently under his control to enable him to encounter the rebuke,and to pull himself up from time to time when he found himselftempted to speak loud and to take things with a high hand. He knewthat a clerk should not be dismissed for leaving his office, whocould show that his absence had been caused by some matter reallyaffecting the interest of his family; and that were he to drive Eamesto go on this occasion without leave, Eames would be simply calledin to state what was this matter of moment which had taken him away.Probably he had stated that matter of moment in this very documentwhich Sir Raffle was holding in hi
s hand. But Sir Raffle was notwilling to be conquered by the document. If it was necessary that heshould give way, he would much prefer to give way,--out of his owngood-nature, let us say,--without looking at the document at all."I must, under the circumstances, decline to read this," said he,"unless it should come before me officially," and he handed back thepaper.
"I thought it best to let you see it if you pleased," said JohnEames. Then he turned round as though he were going to leave theroom; but suddenly he turned back again. "I don't like to leave you,Sir Raffle, without saying good-by. I do not suppose we shall meetagain. Of course you must do your duty, and I do not wish you tothink that I have any personal ill-will against you." So saying, heput out his hand to Sir Raffle as though to take a final farewell.Sir Raffle looked at him in amazement. He was dressed, as has beensaid, in black, and did not look like the John Eames of every day towhom Sir Raffle was accustomed.
"I don't understand this at all," said Sir Raffle.
"I was afraid that it was only too plain," said John Eames.
"And you must go?"
"Oh, yes;--that's certain. I have pledged myself to go."
"Of course I don't know anything of this matter that is so importantto your family."
"No; you do not," said Johnny.
"Can't you explain it to me, then? so that I may have somereason,--if there is any reason."
Then John told the story of Mr. Crawley,--a considerable portion ofthe story; and in his telling of it, I think it probable that heput more weight upon the necessity of his mission to Italy than itcould have fairly been made to bear. In the course of the narrationSir Raffle did once contrive to suggest that a lawyer by going toFlorence might do the business at any rate as well as John Eames.But Johnny denied this. "No, Sir Raffle, it is impossible; quiteimpossible," he said. "If you saw the lawyer who is acting in thematter, Mr. Toogood, who is also my uncle, he would tell you thesame." Sir Raffle had already heard something of the story of Mr.Crawley, and was now willing to accept the sad tragedy of that caseas an excuse for his private secretary's somewhat insubordinateconduct. "Under the circumstances, Eames, I suppose you must go; butI think you should have told me all about it before."
"I did not like to trouble you, Sir Raffle, with private business."
"It is always best to tell the whole of a story," said Sir Raffle.Johnny being quite content with the upshot of the negotiationsaccepted this gentle rebuke in silence, and withdrew. On the next dayhe appeared again at the office in his ordinary costume, and an ideacrossed Sir Raffle's brain that he had been partly "done" by theaffectation of a costume. "I'll be even with him some day yet," saidSir Raffle to himself.
"I've got my leave, boys," said Eames when he went out into the roomin which his three friends sat.
"No!" said Cradell.
"But I have," said Johnny.
"You don't mean that old Huffle Scuffle has given it out of his ownhead?" said Fisher.
"Indeed he has," said Johnny; "and bade God bless me into thebargain."
"And you didn't give him the oysters?" said FitzHoward. "Not ashell," said Johnny.
"I'm blessed if you don't beat cock-fighting," said Cradell, lost inadmiration at his friend's adroitness.
We know how John passed his evening after that. He went first to seeLily Dale at her uncle's lodgings in Sackville Street, from thencehe was taken to the presence of the charming Madalina in PorchesterTerrace, and then wound up the night with his friend ConwayDalrymple. When he got to his bed he felt himself to have beentriumphant, but in spite of his triumph he was ashamed of himself.Why had he left Lily to go to Madalina? As he thought of this hequoted to himself against himself Hamlet's often-quoted appeal to thetwo portraits. How could he not despise himself in that he could findany pleasure with Madalina, having a Lily Dale to fill his thoughts?"But she is not fair for me," he said to himself,--thinking thus tocomfort himself. But he did not comfort himself.
On the next morning early his uncle, Mr. Toogood, met him at theDover Railway Station. "Upon my word, Johnny, you're a cleverfellow," said he. "I never thought that you'd make it all right withSir Raffle."
"As right as a trivet, uncle. There are some people, if you can onlyget to learn the length of their feet, you can always fit them withshoes afterwards."
"As right as a trivet, Uncle."]
"You'll go on direct to Florence, Johnny?"
"Yes; I think so. From what we have heard, Mrs. Arabin must be eitherthere or at Venice, and I don't suppose I could learn from any one atParis at which town she is staying at this moment."
"Her address is Florence;--poste restante, Florence. You will be sureto find out at any of the hotels where she is staying, or where shehas been staying."
"But when I have found her, I don't suppose she can tell meanything," said Johnny.
"Who can tell? She may or she may not. My belief is that the moneywas her present altogether, and not his. It seems that they don't mixtheir moneys. He has always had some scruple about it because of herson by a former marriage, and they always have different accounts attheir bankers'. I found that out when I was at Barchester."
"But Crawley was his friend."
"Yes, Crawley was his friend; but I don't know that fifty-pound noteshave always been so very plentiful with him. Deans' incomes ain'twhat they were, you know."
"I don't know anything about that," said Johnny.
"Well; they are not. And he has nothing of his own, as far as I canlearn. It would be just the thing for her to do,--to give the moneyto his friend. At any rate she will tell you whether it was so ornot."
"And then I will go on to Jerusalem, after him."
"Should you find it necessary. He will probably be on his way back,and she will know where you can hit him on the road. You must makehim understand that it is essential that he should be here somelittle time before the trial. You can understand, Johnny,"--and as hespoke Mr. Toogood lowered his voice to a whisper, though they werewalking together on the platform of the railway station, and couldnot possibly have been overheard by any one. "You can understand thatit may be necessary to prove that he is not exactly compos mentis,and if so it will be essential that he should have some influentialfriend near him. Otherwise that bishop will trample him into dust."If Mr. Toogood could have seen the bishop at this time and have readthe troubles of the poor man's heart, he would hardly have spoken ofhim as being so terrible a tyrant.
"I understand all that," said Johnny.
"So that, in fact, I shall expect to see you both together," saidToogood.
"I hope the dean is a good fellow."
"They tell me he is a very good fellow."
"I never did see much of bishops or deans as yet," said Johnny, "andI should feel rather awe-struck travelling with one."
"I should fancy that a dean is very much like anybody else."
"But the man's hat would cow me."
"I daresay you'll find him walking about Jerusalem with a wide-awakeon, and a big stick in his hand, probably smoking a cigar. Deanscontrive to get out of their armour sometimes, as the knights of oldused to do. Bishops, I fancy, find it more difficult. Well;--good-by,old fellow. I'm very much obliged to you for going,--I am, indeed. Idon't doubt but what we shall pull through, somehow."
Then Mr. Toogood went home to breakfast, and from his own house heproceeded to his office. When he had been there an hour or two, therecame to him a messenger from the Income-tax Office, with an officialnote addressed to himself by Sir Raffle Buffle,--a note which lookedto be very official. Sir Raffle Buffle presented his compliments toMr. Toogood, and could Mr. Toogood favour Sir R. B. with the presentaddress of Mr. John Eames. "Old fox," said Mr. Toogood;--"but thensuch a stupid old fox! As if it was likely that I should have peachedon Johnny if anything was wrong." So Mr. Toogood sent his complimentsto Sir Raffle Buffle, and begged to inform Sir R. B. that Mr. JohnEames was away on very particular family business, which would takehim in the first instance to Florence;--but that from Florence hewould probably have to
go on to Jerusalem without the loss of anhour. "Stupid old fool!" said Mr. Toogood, as he sent off his replyby the messenger.